The first guide, Building a Thriving Team, offers insights into creating a shared vision, fostering trust, promoting inclusivity, and recognising achievements. The guide is aimed at leaders and managers to help them build engaged, collaborative, and engaged team members for long-term success.

The second guide, Inclusive Hiring in Australia, aims to equip leaders with strategies for hiring, supporting, and developing talent with disabilities. Highlighting the significant benefits of inclusive workplaces, from increased creative, morale, and corporate reputation.
Drawing on global examples and Australian disability employment statistics, this guide challenges leaders to embrace inclusivity as a powerful driver of innovation.
“Leadership isn’t just about achieving goals; it’s about empowering people to reach their full potential,” said Matthew Levy. “With Build a Thriving Team, I hope to provide leaders with practical tools to inspire trust and collaboration, while recognising the unique strengths of their teams.”
On inclusive hiring, Levy added, “Hiring people with disabilities goes far beyond compliance – it’s about tapping into a wealth of talent and perspective that can transform workplaces. With Inclusive Hiring in Australia, I want to show leaders how inclusion can spark creativity and create stronger, more resilient organisations.”

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Chronic kidney disease is projected to be the 5th leading cause of death worldwide by 2050, rising from 18th leading cause in 1990. Exclusive September polling conducted by YouGov for Kidney Health Australia highlights the devastating impact of dialysis on patients’ lives.The sample* of 252 adults aged 18-plus who are on dialysis, or have received dialysis treatment, revealed that more than nine in ten of dialysis patients (92 per cent) experience varying levels of disruption to their weekly routines – with two thirds (67 per cent) facing significant disruption.

For 29-year-old Hayley Van Hostauyen, starting dialysis brought a sense of initial relief; however, the ongoing treatment soon became an emotional and physical ordeal.
“People would say, well you are on dialysis now, so that’s good, and I’d think, yeah, but you’re not seeing all the days where I’ve had restless legs, I had a breakdown at dialysis, I’ve spent half of my dialysis crying,” she said.

Almost half report that dialysis treatment severely limits time spent with family, and many are connected to dialysis machines for 16-20 hours a week, some exceeding 30 hours – making it part-time or in some cases even a full-time job. The financial burden is equally alarming: 82.5 per cent of patients report that dialysis has put them on a path toward financial hardship.The overwhelming majority of the dialysis community, 88 per cent, believe the government should be doing more to address the challenges of dialysis. An additional national YouGov survey of more than 1,000 adults** revealed over 3 in 4 everyday Australians agree (78%).

“Dialysis as a treatment is invasive, time consuming, and has devastating impacts on people and their families. It’s not a good enough solution and should only be a last resort,” said Kidney Health Australia, CEO Chris Forbes.

“We are pushing for a revolution in kidney disease treatment and support, aiming to give people back their time and their lives. Our vision is to bring an end to the burden of dialysis and leverage new and existing innovations. Now is the time for radical change.”
With dialysis units reaching capacity and demand continuing to rise, Kidney Health Australia is calling on the government, healthcare providers and the community to unite behind its bold aspiration. Despite its life-preserving role, dialysis has changed little in half a century and remains a time-consuming, invasive treatment with around 50 per cent of people on dialysis experiencingdepression.

Kidney Health Australia’s roadmap to End Dialysis by 2050 focuses on three key areas:
• Early detection to diagnose kidney disease, allowing for intervention and access to new
medications that can slow disease progression and help patients avoid ever reaching dialysis.
• Innovation through research and industry partnerships to develop new treatments and technologies
that improve outcomes and patient quality of life.
• Increased living kidney transplants to reduce long term reliance on dialysis, as transplants  provide patients with better health outcomes and quality of life.

“While other technologies and treatments have advanced enormously, dialysis has barely evolved in decades, and that’s unacceptable,” Mr Forbes said. “We need a fresh approach that offers real hope to the thousands of Australians enduring this burdensome ongoing treatment.”

By promoting early detection and treatment, fostering innovation and increasing kidney donations, the goal is clear: end Australia’s dependence on dialysis by 2050.

“This is not just about better treatments – it’s about giving people their lives back,” Mr Forbes said.

“Together we can create a future where dialysis is no longer the default option but a
temporary measure.”

The time for action is now. Kidney Health Australia urges the public, healthcare professionals and policymakers to join them in this transformative movement. We know the journey will be rough, let’s work together to disrupt this deadly disease, prevent kidney failure, and end dialysis by 2050.

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The conference will begin with a keynote address by Anthony Tassone, President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia-Victoria. With his finger on the pulse of the industry, Tassone will delve into the current and future state of the sector, shedding light on the implications of the 8th Community Pharmacy Agreement (8CPA). His insights are expected to set a compelling tone for what lies ahead.

Over 170 Attendees will be privileged to hear from an impressive lineup of speakers, each bringing their unique expertise and perspectives.

Rhianna Davis, General Manager of Direct Chemist Outlet, describes the event: “The 2024 DCO Partners Conference is a unique opportunity for our community to come together, share knowledge, and explore new strategies for growth and innovation. We look forward to welcoming our distinguished speakers and attendees to what promises to be a highly impactful event.”

One of the conference highlights will undoubtedly be the DCO Golden Awards, which celebrate excellence across the organisation. Categories such as Excellence in Operations, Excellence in Buying, Excellence in Marketing, Pharmacist of the Year, Intern of the Year, and Best Emerging Pharmacy Owner will recognise outstanding contributions within the DCO community. Additionally, supplier awards for Outstanding Value, Support, Innovation, and the coveted Supplier of the Year Award. DCO will honour the exceptional partners who have played a pivotal role in its success.

The conference will include collaborative sessions to foster collaboration and drive innovation. These sessions will focus on improving current operations, refining marketing strategies, enhancing system efficiencies, and identifying new productivity opportunities. aiming to shape the industry’s future, ensuring that DCO remains at the forefront of pharmacy excellence.

As the pharmacy sector continues to evolve, the 2024 DCO Partners Conference stands as a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation, and excellence.

About Direct Chemist Outlet
Direct Chemist Outlet (DCO) is a leading pharmacy group committed to providing affordable healthcare solutions and exceptional service. With a focus on community engagement and professional excellence, DCO continues to expand its network and enhance its offerings to meet the evolving needs of Australians.

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Ahead of discussions at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78), the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) has warned that current pandemic preparedness plans should not undermine what worked well in response to COVID-19 and must support both “innovation and equity.”

IFPMA has called for current plans to be strengthened to support the development of vaccines and treatments that will be needed for the next pandemic, alongside practical measures to ensure there is equity in access to medical countermeasures in lower-income countries.

Progress will require coordinated action by industry, governments, and multilateral organizations to put in place the right incentives that support the pipeline of vaccines and treatments for future pandemics. This must include scientists having rapid access to pathogens and genetic information and the ability for companies to partner on a voluntary basis.

Alongside the focus on ensuring greater equity of access, IFPMA has called for these measures to be central to pandemic preparedness plans, including in the Political Declaration being considered by the UN General Assembly.

In plans published last year, the industry proposed to reserve an allocation of real-time production of vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics for lower-income countries to support a more equitable access in future pandemics. The plans were endorsed by the Developing Countries Vaccines Manufacturing Network and the Biotechnology Industry Organization. Alongside this, governments must ensure trade restrictions do not hamper equitable roll out of vaccines and treatments, which we saw in COVID-19.

Thomas Cueni, Director General of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations said:

“When the next pandemic hits, the success of our response will depend on how well we prepared and worked together in this moment between pandemics.

“The collective challenge facing us is to deliver innovation and equity: how to incentivize the research needed to develop the vaccines and treatments we will need, and how we make sure there is equitable access to these medical countermeasures across the globe when we have them.

“It is critical that we don’t undermine what worked well in response to COVID-19 and instead strengthen the innovation ecosystem that underpins the development of new medicines and vaccines for when we need them most.” Mr Cueni says.

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LanternPay claims it’s approach to real time claim payments puts money in the hands of customers and providers quickly and efficiently, reducing claims administration and processing times.

The partnership will include an initial pilot of LanternPay’s real time claims payment technology when Medibank customers fill prescriptions at select Amcal pharmacies.

Following the pilot, it’s intended that the new technology will be rolled out to pharmacies nationwide.

By using LanternPay as opposed to manual claims, customers are said to have claim certainty via an instant claim decision and faster flow of funds to complete the transaction.

For pharmacies, LanternPay standardises processes so that they can manage everything in one place, providing them with greater transparency and visibility of claim.

As LanternPay is a technology and bank agnostic platform, it also gives pharmacies their choice of channel to submit claims insurance.

LanternPay is part of the InLoop stable of digital payment companies, including the Flexischools business.

LanternPay’s Head of Markets Simon Terry, said: “We are proud to deliver an open, flexible, bank agnostic claim platform that delivers benefits to Medibank, pharmacies and their clients. And we are extremely proud to be providing choice in health claim processing. 
“We look forward to this initial pilot before rolling out nationwide.”

Andrew Robinson, the first Amcal pharmacist to submit a claim to Medibank said: “Finally, with LanternPay there is a claiming platform that allows pharmacists to deliver a better customer experience by allowing pharmacies to submit claims to Private Health Insurers on behalf of their customers, saving our clients time and money.”

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Now in its 12^th year, Product of the Year (POY) awards have officially begun their search for the 2021 winners.

Brands are being invited to enter their newest and most innovative products into the awards, to be in the running to win one of the highly coveted award categories.

“The Awards have grown exponentially since we brought them to Australia over a decade ago,” says Managing Director of Product of the Year Australia, Sarah Connelly.

To be eligible to enter, products must be launched between 1 December 2018 and 31 May 2020. The products must demonstrate innovation through their function, design or packaging. Brand new products are always encouraged to enter, as well as existing products that have adapted or added an advanced use such as an additional ingredient, redesigned pack or new formula or flavour.

Previous winners of the awards have ranged across categories such as beauty, health, food and home care, with household brand names such as Palmolive, San Remo, Dilmah, Messy Monkeys and Seeds of Change being crowned.

“It’s so exciting to see such a large number of brands and companies enter their innovative products each year as they understand and respond to the ways consumer choices have evolved,” explains Ms Connelly.

The highly recognisable Product of the Year Logo has proven to be a powerful marketing message with winners, typically seeing their sales increase by an average of 10% – 15%.

Winning products will be announced in November 2020 and will receive the right to use the POY seal in marketing communications for one year.

Ms Connelly says that the new category title added to the list, ‘One to Watch’ award, “… gives these smaller companies and start-ups an opportunity to benefit from nationwide research, gain insight into consumer perceptions of their product, and of course, have the chance to be crowned a ‘One to Watch’ Award Winner at the Product of the Year Awards for 2021”.

To enter or find out more about your eligibility, please visit productoftheyear.com.au

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Ms Greenwood will be at Pharmacy Connect in Sydney this week from Sept 5-7 where the theme is ‘Bringing Together Clinical, Business & Industry’ and is looking forward to meeting many [Guild] members there.

The conference features a two-day education program, trade exhibition and also social events, which Ms Greenwood said, “are a great opportunity to meet your colleagues, renew acquaintances and make some new friends”.

In her letter, Ms Greenwood hinted at a willingness to embrace change, saying “with a strong female workforce and ownership statistics, community pharmacy is a highly industrious and entrepreneurial sector.

“I will be considering how we leverage that into the future in my delivery of the Judy Liauw address at the [Pharmacy Connect] conference this Saturday, titled ‘Back to the future – our traditions informing innovation’.”

Ms Greenwood is also particularly looking forward to international guest speaker, Professor Ross Tsuyuki’s address at the conference, in which he plans to challenge pharmacist’s thinking with the premise, “The biggest enemy of pharmacists are … pharmacists”.

Speaking of Professor Tsuyuki’s forthcoming speech, Ms Greenwood said, “It sounds like some insightful tips on reframing our thinking to embed pharmacists as healthcare professionals are on the way”.

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The Frontiers program is filling a gap in the research sector by providing government funding for early innovative projects and ideas that traditionally would not have received funding at this stage.

The Australian-first program has a unique, two-stage structure and was developed in consultation with Australian and international leaders in health and medical research including Research Australia.

In stage one, up to 10 selected applicants will receive funding of up to $1 million each over one year to develop detailed planning for their cutting-edge research projects.

The Liberal National government has opened applications for the $240 million Frontiers program, supporting medical and health innovation by giving up to 10 researchers funds allowing them to push the boundaries in developing future breakthroughs.

In stage two, a number of research plans developed under stage one will be chosen to receive funding to develop their ideas into new technological advances or approaches to revolutionise healthcare.

Stage two grants could be $50 million or more depending on the project and can extend over five years.

Frontiers is an initiative under the $1.3 billion National Health and Medical Industry Growth Plan, announced in the 2018 Budget. It is funded by the government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).

The MRFF is an endowment fund that will mature at $20 billion, providing a sustainable source of funding for vital medical research. It is the single largest boost in health and medical research funding in Australia’s history.

To apply or learn more, visit: www.business.gov.au/fhmr

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The conference offered insights on future pharmacy and digital trends shared by an expert industry panel including Ebos CEO John Cullity and Apotex Managing Director Roger Millichamp, and an outline of new health initiatives and partnerships.

CEO Anthony White says TerryWhite Chemmart (TWC) is advancing its vision to become Australia’s favourite pharmacy through the success of the retail transformation program being implemented across the network, increased customer engagement through the TWC health app, and amplification of health programs and initiatives that will focus on customers’ key health challenges.

“We believe customers are looking for health advice from pharmacists who are professional, highly knowledgeable, engaging and efficient, and we are strongly committed to ensuring our pharmacists, through the various programs and relevant training, are able to provide an increased service to their customers,” he said.

“Our strong health focus ensures our brand is both recognisable and authentic in a fragmented market.

“We are achieving this through fast-tracking enhanced health programs around major health conditions of cardiovascular disease, asthma and diabetes, complemented by targeted health campaigns.

“We also recognise that medication adherence is one of the key health issues facing our society and one we are committed to addressing through the ongoing development of our health app.

“We are confident that innovations to be delivered through our health app, together with our commitment to continually upskill our pharmacists through our Masterclass program, will inspire loyalty and trust with customers.

“The TerryWhite Chemmart Advisory Group (TAG) will play an important role in the network’s development particularly around customer engagement, new health initiatives and pharmacy engagement.

“The role of the TAG as a trusted peer group is to provide leadership and ongoing engagement with members and, importantly, input and feedback into key initiatives and their rollout throughout the group.”

The three-day conference concluded on Tuesday evening with a gala dinner and the announcement of award winners:

• Pharmacy of the Year – TerryWhite Chemmart Samford, Queensland, for customer service excellence led by owner and Pharmacist of the Year Karen Brown.
• Rhonda White Leadership Award – Judy Plunkett of Port Macquarie, NSW, an owner pharmacist for 36 years and a member of the TerryWhite Chemmart group for 25 years.
• Innovation Award – TerryWhite Chemmart Chester Pass Albany, WA, for a successful initiative that engages new parents.

Supplier awards were also given to Total Beauty Network for Best Supplier Representative Support, Swisse for Best Pharmacy Promotion and BioCeuticals for Supplier of the Year.

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